CVE-2023-28052 in Dell
Summary
by MITRE • 06/23/2023
Dell BIOS contains an improper input validation vulnerability. A local authenticated malicious user with administrator privileges may potentially exploit this vulnerability in order to modify a UEFI variable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-28052 resides within Dell BIOS implementations and represents a critical improper input validation flaw that undermines the security posture of affected systems. This weakness specifically targets the UEFI variable modification process, creating a potential attack vector for privileged adversaries who can leverage their administrative access to manipulate system firmware settings. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation mechanisms that fail to properly sanitize or verify input parameters when processing UEFI variable operations, allowing for potentially malicious modifications to critical system variables.
From a technical perspective, the flaw manifests when authenticated administrators attempt to modify UEFI variables without proper input sanitization checks. This allows for the injection of malformed or unexpected data into the UEFI variable storage system, potentially enabling privilege escalation or system compromise. The vulnerability operates at the firmware level where UEFI variables control critical system behaviors including boot configuration, security settings, and hardware initialization parameters. The improper input validation creates a pathway where malicious input can bypass intended security controls and directly alter system configuration variables that should remain protected from unauthorized modification.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of the UEFI firmware environment. An attacker with administrator privileges can potentially modify critical UEFI variables such as boot options, secure boot settings, or system configuration parameters that govern how the system operates during the boot process. This capability enables sophisticated attacks including bootkits, persistent malware installation, or complete system compromise that can persist across operating system reinstallation. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because UEFI variables are designed to maintain system security and integrity, making unauthorized modification a severe threat to overall system security.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which specifically addresses improper input validation as a fundamental weakness in software security design. The flaw also corresponds to techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1014, which covers rootkit and bootkit techniques that leverage firmware manipulation. Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation through Dell's published security updates and patches, while also implementing monitoring for unauthorized UEFI variable modifications. Additional mitigations include restricting administrator privileges to only those users who absolutely require them, implementing firmware integrity monitoring solutions, and conducting regular security assessments of UEFI configurations to detect any unauthorized modifications that may indicate exploitation attempts.